Locomotive-boiler fire box



sept. 4, 192s. 1,682,964

C. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE BOILER FIRE BOX Filed May 13, 1922 Fig] Patented Sept. 4, 1928i'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOCOMOTI'VE FIRE- BOX COMPANY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LOCOMOTIVE-BOILER FIRE BOX.

Application led May 13,

My invention relates to improvements in steam boilers of the several types which have internal freboxes. I have chosen herein to depict my invention as embodied in an internally fired locomotive boiler, which will serve as an example of all types of my present invention.

The object of the invention is to construct ,or equip an internal firebox with waterlo steaming-and-circulating members which shall have the effect of increasing the effective heating surface of the firebox, which shall avoid any suppression of combustion in the rebox, which shall serve to promote wand maintain a rapid and voluminous circulation of all of the water in the boiler and which members may be availed of as supports for a refractory fire arch or baffle of any desired form. Vith these objects in au view my invention comprises a boiler and internal flrebox in combination with a plurality of water-circulating tubes disposed in a single vertical plane in saidfrebox, one end of each said tubes being fastened in a vertical wall of the firebox and the upper end being secured in the crown sheet of the rebox. My invention comprehendsthe employment of either one or several of the ver tically disposed roups of water-circulating*- and-steaming tu es and, as above indicated', comprehends the combination of a fire arch therewith, the fire brick finding supports' upon the said tubes and the sides or vertical Walls of the firebox. All this and the several novel details of my invention will be clearly understood on reference to the accompany- 'ing drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of ka locomotive boiler 1 and lirebox embodying my invention. Fig. lo 2 is a vertical cross section thereof. Fig. 3 is anvenlargeddetail showing the preferred manner of securing-the upper ends of the water tubes `inthe crown sheet of the fire-box, and Fig. 4 illustrates a modified construction to be compared with Fig. 2.

rlhe locomotive boiler 2 herein shown is of a common shape or type. The internal firebox 3 thereof is likewise of a common or representative form. It is composed of the flue sheet 4, the side sheets 5 5, the crown sheet 6 and the back sheet 7, the lower edges of the sheets being united to the shell or wrap-- per of the boiler by the usual mud rinof 8. The fiuesof the boiler .are marked 9. s a whole, the firebox is connected to the shell 1922. Serial No. 560,657.

of the boiler by a large number of staybolts 10, those at the top being longer and known as crown stays. The fuel bed is represented by the lines 11, Fig. 1.

The firebox appearing in Fi s. 1 'and 2 1s shown as equipped with four o the beforementioned groups of water-circulating tubes. The tubes ofeach group or set occup the same, or substantially the same, vertica longitudinal plane within the front and upper part of the firebox. The several roups are spaced apart as well shown in ig. 2 in order that workmen may enter between the groups and do all needed work on the flue sheet and other sheets of the f'lrebox. For part of the distance rearward and upward of the flue sheet the spaces 12 between and at the sides of the four groups are normall occupied by longitudinal rows of fire bric 13, which together constitute a very effective fire arch or bale. These brick find direct support uponY the lowermost tubes inthe four groups after the manner in which arches are commonly supported upon' arch tubes. Indeed the lower tube of each groupv mjy comprise an ordinary cambered" arch tu e.

y Conveniently, I have shown each grou 'as comprising eight of the tubes 15.` Nb) two of these tubes are of the same length 'or'shape The lowermost tube extends from "a point 16 in the flue sheetfrearwardly and upwardly and terminates at a point 17 in the crown sheet, well toward the hack end of the firebox. The neXt tube parallels, or substantially parallels the first tube, directly above it. By preference the front ends of the tubes are placed more closely together than are the upper. ends, for reasons about to be explained in connection' with the preferred 95 method of installing the tubes in the flue sheet and in the crown sheet.

Before turning to the installation' details of the invention, it should particularly be noted that these vertical and longitudinal bodies or groups of tubes divide the forward and upper part of the firebox into a plurality of longitudinal passages. Only a single. grate is used in the flreboX, but nevertheless the single body of flame rising therefrom is in this manner successfully sub-divided during the passage of the gases to the flues; thus the superficial area of the radiant flame body is markedly increased. Next, it is to be observed that the tubes in themselves present a very great increase in the heat absorbing surfaces of the irebox. It is, of course, now understood that the water from the body of the boiler enters the lower ends of the tubes, and rising therethrough, is discharged above and upon the top of the crown sheet 6 of the firebox. Hence, it will be seen that the heating surfaces added through this medium are of the most advantageous sort and most advantageously positioned or d1sposed within the irebox. Incidentally, it should be apparent that these parallel vertically disposed bodies of water tubes can at no time interfere with the free propagation and maturing of the flames of combustible gases rising and passing between them. Though filled with water, they do not tend to suppress the flame bodies. Yet every square inch of every tube is plainly and fully eX- posed for the absorption of both radiant and convected heat.

The ends of the water tubesv may be secured in the flue sheet and in the crown sheet in accordance with best present boiler practice. Numerous wash-out plugs 18 provided in the shell of the boiler facilitate the cleaning and washing of the water tubes.

The water rises through the tubes with a velocity proportional to the quantity evaporated therein and preferably I suppress the fountains of steam and water jetting upward from the tubes by super-imposing a dashplate 19 over each row of tubes. However, this is only rarely required, for usually the depth of boiler water over the crown sheet is sufficient to take up or absorb the thrust of the fountains from the tubes, and thus the danger of priming the steam in the steam space of the boiler is avoided.

By preference I assemble these groups of tubes and definitely secure them in their proper relations before placing the group in' the ireboX. In other words, I construct the groups separately and then raise them into the firebox and secure them therein. To facilitate this operation, I utilize what may be termed parts of both flue sheetand crown sheet. In these parts or plates I secure the ends of the tubes and after sosecuring them I, so to speak, replace the parts in respective flue sheet and crown sheet. constructing a new boiler the lower forward ends of the tubes will be accommodated directly inthe flue sheet, which, after equipment, may be readily assembled with the crown, side and back sheets. But in every case, rather than to place the end of the tube directly in the original crown sheet as shown at- 20 in Fig. 4, I prefer that the upper ends of the tubes of each group shall first be secured in a separate plate or part 21, as well shown in the other figures of the drawings. The tube ends may be expanded in the openings in this part 21, or they may be welded therein as shown at 22. To ac# commodate the plate, a correspondingly large opening 23 is made in the crown sheet 6. At the time of installing the group the edges of the part 21 are welded to the edges of the crown sheet at the opening 23. By preference, I make the part 21 large enough to receive the adjacent rows of crown bolts 10. The part 21 may be secured by a lapweld, as shown in Fig. 3, or by a butt-weld, as shown at points 24 -in Fig. 1.

In dealing with an existing engine, the plate or part receiving the forward ends of the tubes 15 may be large enough to receive the ends of all of the groups as in the case of the large plate or patch 25 of Fig. 2, or

each group may be provided with its own flue sheet patch 26, as shown in Fig. 4. In both cases the patch is preferably butti welded to the edges of the complementary opening in the flue sheet, and after being placed in position may receive as many of the flues 9 as may be required or prove convenient.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown the dash plates 19 as supported by the crown bolts 10. A better method is illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein the dash plate 19 is erected directly upon the patch plate 21, so that it may be put into position or taken out along with the plate 21 and the group of tubes attached thereto.

Through the addition ofheating surfaces obtained in this manner and the tremendously rapid circulation thereby imparted tol the boiler water, the efficiency of the whole boiler is so improved as to result in a very great saving of fuel and a marked increase in the capacity of the boiler, as well as an improvement in the life or durability of the boiler as a whole, As before stated, this invention is not restricted or limited to locomotive boilers, for it is applicable to all boilers which present vertical flue sheets and crown sheets.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A steam boiler having an internal fire box including a flue sheet at one end and a crown sheet at the top, anda group of water tubes all arranged in the same longitudinal vertical plane in the fire box and opening at one end through the crown sheet and opening at the other end through the Hue sheet with some of said tubes communicating with the front water leg of the boiler above said water leg, the tube ends in the crown sheet being spaced a greater distance apart than the tube ends in the flue sheet.

2. A steam boiler having an internal Iire box including a iiue sheet at one end and a crown sheet at the top, said flue sheet and said crown sheet each having an elongated opening therein arranged in the same longitudinal vertical plane of the boiler, plate lOl members fixed in said openings, and al group of Water tubes all arranged in said longitudinal vertical plane, said tubes having inclined mid portlons With ends disposed at substantially a right angle to sald plate members in said openings and to which said tube ends are attached, the tube ends in the plate members in the crown sheet being spaced a reater distance apart than the tube ends 1n the flue sheet.

3. A Water circulating element for steam boilers and adapted for location in the internal lirebox thereof, said element comprising a plurality of Water tubes all arranged in the same common plane, each tube having an inclined middle portion and top and bottom end portions arranged at an angle thereto and at substantially a right angle to each other, a plate associated With the top ends of said tubes and in which they are secured in spaced relation and a second plate associated with the bottom ends of said tubes and in which they are secured in a closer spaced relation than are said top ends.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 25 set my hand this 6th day of May 1922.

CHARLES GLBERT HAWLEY. 

